The hit HBO series, Game of Thrones, premiered its seventh season on July 16, 2017. After much anticipation of what would happen, social media came alive with live, play-by-play accounts of what was occurring, especially when popular English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran appeared on the screen! Fans of the artist did a double-take to make sure that their eyes were not deceiving them. Although it was brief, Sheeran did not disappoint with his melodic voice, causing fans to appreciate his cameo appearance that much more. It was certainly an unexpected, pleasant surprise, but not for everyone. Many faithful ‘Thrones’ watchers took to Twitter expressing their disapproval of the casting choice and were so persistent that Sheeran temporarily deactivated his account or at least it seemed that way. The singer did not outright admit this, but the timing seemed to be too much of a coincidence.

What originally began as a kind gesture for ‘Thrones’ actress, Maisie Williams, who is a huge Sheeran fan, soon backfired as it overshadowed the first episode. The audience was more distracted by seeing the singer-songwriter than they were with watching the series premiere unfold. While the series took a bit of a hit on Sunday, it should not be too hard for it to recover since it is a tremendous fan favorite.

There may be more surprises in store on Game of Thrones, but it isn’t clear whether Sheeran will be one of them. At the same time, anything is possible. Based on the fallout last Sunday, it is probably unlikely.